# CVE-2020-2044: PAN-OS: Passwords may be logged in clear text while storing operational command (op command) history

> Administrators' passwords may be logged in cleartext in PAN-OS op-command history, exposing sensitive credentials to those with log access.

- **Severity:** Low 3.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Sep 2020
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-r365-86rw-9xxw

## What is CVE-2020-2044?

CVE-2020-2044 is a low-severity vulnerability in Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os, published on 9 Sep 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An information exposure through log file vulnerability where an administrator's password or other sensitive information may be logged in cleartext while using the CLI in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS software. The opcmdhistory.log file was introduced to track operational command (op-command) usage but did not mask all sensitive information. The opcmdhistory.log file is removed in PAN-OS 9.1 and later PAN-OS versions. Command usage is recorded, instead, in the req_stats.log file in PAN-OS 9.1 and later PAN-OS versions. This issue impacts: PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 8.1.16; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.0.10; PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.1.3.

Weakness: CWE-532 (Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-2044?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-2044?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-2044 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-2044 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-2044 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os

- [CVE-2024-3400](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-3400/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Command Injection (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-2021](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-2021/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Authentication Bypass (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-15944](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-15944/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-0300](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-0300/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-0012](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-0012/): Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Management Interface Authentication Bypass (critical 9.3, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-2044 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-2044 is a low-severity vulnerability in Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os, published on 9 Sep 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-2044 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Paloaltonetworks Pan-Os. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-2044/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-2044/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-2044
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-2044
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-2044

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-2044/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.